A hard core, straight up, turn-based strategy game that's got a lot of depth. The story is surprisingly entertaining.

Much like the wholesome Kix breakfast cereal, Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure has seemingly been "kid-tested, mother-approved" for quality. It’s not just kid stuff, mind you.

MySims Agents is one of the best games to come out on the Wii yet this year – at least for the pre-teen gamers out there. Agents does a fantastic job of introducing young gamers to the concepts of open world and resource management gaming genres – and helps stimulate their inquisitive nature all while having a blast.

The premise of Etherlords II can be diluted down to a simple card game concept; one person plays their cards and then the other until somebody wins. By nature, it is a repetitive game and I think the game designers overestimated the fun factor.

It's a high-octane racing game with great graphics and energetic soundrack that is fun and captivating to play for as long as it lasts. If there were more ways to play or a possible way to add in app purchases for different weapon sets, more tracks, or better vehicles, you'd have a classic.

Ace Combat has finally returned and it's awesome.

SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is a solid release for wrestling fans to enjoy, but for the casual gamer thinking about purchasing a new copy, it would probably be better advised to wait to find a used copy or to save the extra dough and get a cheap copy of 2008.

Yet hope for new patches springs eternal, and Garriott's crew promise to release player housing, new planets to explore, vehicles, and a more robust PVP system in the near future. How the developers capitalize on those promises will determine whether Tabula Rasa becomes a true sensation, or just a cult classic.

Probably one of the best Nancy Drew game installments that I’ve played to date, given its higher challenge level and large variety of puzzles.

With Grand Slam Tennis EA has set a new standard for motion control input, tennis games, and Wii games in general.

Ultimately, this is a great game and easily worth the $10 you have to sacrifice to land a copy of it.

The squad-based gameplay is here but its execution has been greatly simplified making the game much more accessible to the casual gamer and probably a bit insulting to Clancy veterans.

For any fan of strategy looking for something outside of the norm, R.U.S.E. breathes new life into an old war.

Konami has added in more depth, weapons, environments, and upgraded the multiplayer mode. The gameplay is fun, innovative, and unique.

The player is barely involved in the game at all, which effectively makes it little more than a snazzy light show.

All told, Tropico 4 is a good game. While it might not have revolutionized the series, it does a good job of fleshing out some of the options that Tropico 3 lacked.

The Total Team control opens a whole new set of doors for the tired franchise and will definitely have old school NASCAR gamers frothing at the mouth for its new, deeper play mechanic.

Again, I’m just a casual tennis player and not a sim-enthusiast, but as a game, a tennis game, Top Spin 3 is one of the worst I’ve played. Sorry 2K…better luck next year.

While Titan Quest definitely scores points for presentation, stunning visuals, and powerful sound and music, there is just too many gameplay oddities lurking below the surface to make this a solid recommendation.

Shadow Wars is hands-down the best game available for the Nintendo 3DS among the launch titles. The plot is nothing to write about, but the turn-based tactical gameplay is engaging, and a full run of the game will last about 40 hours.

Sadly, for as great a game as Web of Shadows is on the DS, it is over far too quickly and leaves you with no immediate reason to revisit anytime soon.

As addictive as crack and as hallucinogenic as LSD, you might need some rehab after a few weeks of Mutant Storm Reloaded.

Sure, the game hasn't aged as gracefully as I would have liked, but there are some remarkable visual enhancements and a nice stash of new bonus content that fans are sure to love. Plus, the new Achievements are a powerful inducement for possibly playing through all three titles again.

I walked into my experience of Mafia II with no real expectations other than hearing my colleague's praise. What I walked away with after playing through the story was a sense of awe and amazement that I haven't had since Alan Wake.

I had high hopes for Rally Revo. By all technical standards the game is a success, but it just wasn’t fun to play after getting beat up and down by the flawless AI and sadistic championship design.

As with most of these dancing games you either “get” it or you don’t. For those that do, you won’t find a more comprehensive or fun dancing game out there. The new camera-based game modes add greatly to an already fantastic DDR package and sets the bar just that much higher for the next installment.

College Hoops 2K6 combines solid graphics/controls, with a deep Legacy mode, that should keep your attention far past this NCCA season.

As an adventure game, Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth manages to live up to the genre expectations.

OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast is like the unattractive girl at the high school mixer. While all the popular guys are dancing with Need For Speed and Burnout, OutRun is standing quietly in the corner waiting for that special guy who can appreciate an old-fashion good time.

As for the heads up matchup with the 2K Sports series, NBA Live sinks the buzzer beater as time expires to steal the win this season. Live’s play mechanics and in-depth gameplay features surpass the competition in the heated battle for hoops supremacy in ’09. Without much debate Live ‘09 delivers the best all around NBA game this year.

I've loved every minute I've spent with Shank 2 since I downloaded it, and I can't wait to replay and revisit my favorite levels whenever I need to blow off some steam. The game is just so much fun and so outrageously over-the-top that you can't help but become addicted. I'm taken back to my early arcade days of Double Dragon or Street Fighter, only now I get much cooler weapons, lots more blood, stunning visuals and sound, and a whole lot of attitude. Shank is the ultimate badass and that's how I feel every time I play Shank 2.

One of the most visionary XBLA titles since "Alien Hominid."

Neversoft has done what I would have thought impossible a month ago. They actually created a game that sold me on the sport of skateboarding, at least in video game format.

Owners of the original won't find any new gameplay levels, but they might enjoy the precise analog-based input the PSP and PS3 sticks provide.

Diehard fans will definitely want to check the game out, but they are also the ones who are most likely to come away slightly disappointed. And if you aren't a legacy Soulcalibur fight veteran, you may want to just rent or wait for a price drop. There are a few more fighting games coming this year and Soulcalibur V has left plenty of room for improvement.

At the mere mention of the name Final Fantasy IV, I was all over the opportunity to review this game. This is one of my favorite Final Fantasy of all time and easily one of the greatest RPGs ever made. It has memorable characters, awesome music and a story that is truly exceptional. You would be crazy not to pick up the Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection for PSP. Doesn't matter if you've played it a few times or a hundred, this is a RPG for the ages.

Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood has quickly become my favorite game of 2009, and with future DLC on its way, it’s not going back on the shelf anytime soon.

This game takes all of the best elements from pen & paper war gaming and combines it with fun and exciting graphics and sound and even gives you old school options like PBM.

It's about as thrilling as you can make learning history without wearing costumes.

I-Ninja just oozes with a perfect blend of charm, humor, and visual quality that has been long overdue in a platform game. A definite must-own title.

There is no denying that EA has made good on the Godfather license and created an inspired game that should give the boys at Rockstar a few good ideas for their next GTA.

In talking about this game and writing this review I wish I could say I was talking about all the great features it has, but instead I find myself dismissing it for what it is not. It's not FIFA 11. Top down, FIFA 11 is just the better soccer game. But if you like customization and all kinds of user created content, the possibilities are endless.

Singularity arrived with very little fanfare, which is a shame because this is a very good game. I highly recommend Singularity to fans of FPS games and great science fiction stories.

Liberation is a perfect example of just how powerful the PSP is, and a great way to experience console action in the palm of your hand.

MotorStorm: Apocalypse is essentially a 20+ hour experience of non-stop WOW moments. If Michael Bay were making video games then this is the game he would be making, so if you love that epic style of cinematic destruction and global disaster combined with intense competitive racer AI and purely instinctive and reflexive gameplay then take one final spin through San Francisco before the city and your race tracks sink into the ocean.

The Last Guy is a fun and quirky title that took me by total surprise. It has the look of a next-gen title with all of the gameplay and audio elements of something you might have played on your Atari 2600.

Whether you are looking for an action-focused single-player war game or a fantastic multiplayer experience that rivals those Tom Clancy titles, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat is a masterful bit of game design. They managed to put just enough single-player elements in to keep the game fun for the solo players while keeping everything intact for the online warriors.

This version of L.A. is a living, breathing city where your actions have a direct bearing on immediate events and could even impact the story much further than you can possibly imagine.

The gameplay remains fun and humorous yet it features all the modes and licensing you would expect from the more serious games including a new serious mode of play.

I don't care what you read anywhere else. This is a MUST HAVE game for anyone who likes music and owns a PS2. Admit it; at one time in your life you fancied yourself a drummer, beating on pots and pans or anything else that made noise. Now you can live out those fantasies and actually sound pretty good doing it.

If you don't like classic beat 'em ups, I tentatively recommend this game with the qualifier that you need a few friends to play with. If you do enjoy classic beat 'em ups -- then why are you still sitting here reading this?

Ape Escape 3 is arguably more of the same, but there is nothing wrong with that when the original games have already achieved cult-classic status.

When I initially reviewed this game for the PC I found it to be one of the most engaging and addicting titles I had ever played, and thankfully, Wik: Fable of Souls not only holds up under the pressure of steep 360 competition; it actually expands that addiction with new levels, new modes, intuitive console controls, and some of the best gameplay $5 can buy.

You’ll need to invest yourself and a great deal of time just to learn the nuances of the gameplay and the interface, and making smart intuitive decisions before the missions can save you a lot of trial and error.

Despite having no real online or real-time multiplayer, Burnout Crash is totally addicting and lends itself perfectly to that "just one more time" mentality that is perfect for mobile gaming. And for only $5, this is a far better value than the XBLA version.

It’s a timeless experience for the entire family.

There’s still room for improvement – THAW isn’t quite as wide open as we’d hoped – and it will be interesting to see where Neversoft takes the series on the next-generation consoles. For now, though, THAW is plenty hot.

If you have a PSP then I’d still recommend getting the first Lumines, the new sequel, or even both. This is a game that is much more suited to portable systems.

Best of all, Dark Alliance II is just a very accessible game; easy to get started and nearly impossible to stop, there is plenty of monster-bashing spread across some really great missions.

Even if you have already played this game on another console, I would recommend at least renting this game on the Wii to see how the subtle little details can really add a lot of enjoyment to a slightly cliché gaming genre.

A quality racing experience with blazing visuals, realistic physics, and an excellent trick system.

If you love deep, complex strategy games and fun online multiplayer action, you can’t go wrong with Heroes of Might & Magic V. What it lacks in technological flash it makes up for in smart, well-balanced gameplay.

A stunning achievement in interactive entertainment. With a solid story, engaging characters, stunning visuals, and delightful dialogue, this is one adventure you simply won’t be able to tear yourself away from.

Dungeon Defenders is easily AAA material at a quarter of the cost, which we don't see with Arcade titles that often. If you're in the mood for a great strategy RPG then look no further than Dungeon Defenders.

This is a comic lovers dream come true; the perfect marriage of comics and video games, and with so many comic-inspired games already out and more on the way, I can say without reservation that Ultimate Spider-Man will rule them all with ultimate gameplay and ultimate style.

The gameplay is fast and furious and the presentation will blow you away with stunning visuals and rich 3D Dolby Digital surround. And even when the non-stop shooting threatens to grow repetitive, the ever-changing level design will keep you on your toes.

It will delight and challenge both young and old alike with its bright colors, enchanting music, and addictive gameplay.

With the wealth of nations and three different time periods, you should have oodles to do just with that- month’s worth in fact.

The innovative monster-creating facet alone will surely entertain for hours and leave a lasting impression on any newcomers to the series.

It is deep, it is branching, it is enjoyable, it is everything you’d expect from another free-roaming game about a blowhard in a car, in a city, trying to right some kind of wrong. The only problem? It never quite hits its mark as solidly as everyone had hoped.

An ideal title for people who’ve never partaken in the MMOG scene to use to test the waters. Like most of the other entries in the genre, it is a leveling treadmill, but it is a really well designed one.

The game’s eccentric and peculiar take on micromanagement gives Outpost Kaloki X a fresh and innovate feel that fits perfectly within Microsoft’s new loose “360” attitude, while still offering many nontraditional gamers a more conservative and cerebral experience.

LEGO Harry Potter Years 5 – 7 is a terrific culmination of the Harry Potter storyline, and a perfect addition to the LEGO franchise. Entertaining for the young and old alike, it is a game the whole family will enjoy. Fans of the books and films will love the fan service Travellers Tales doles out, and veteran gamers will enjoy the finely tuned gameplay.

For the 800 MSP price tag, it may seem a little on the high side for a 15 year old PC game, but if you liked it then and haven’t played it since, it would be a good buy especially for the new levels they added.

Heroes VI brings back the kind of game I thought I'd never see any more. It's rare to see a turn-based strategy game come from a major company these days, but Heroes VI goes back to the series' roots, and comes out with a great game.

Ambitious, consistently entertaining and engaging.

Carbon is another great racing game for the 360 and it’s awesome to think that in just one year our beloved console has already seen two of these games.

A better game than the original, but only slightly. With new abilities for old classes, attempts at new classes, and a few new features such as improved online play and ‘side-quests’, this emerges as the spiritual descendent of "Diablo II."

At the end of the day MLB 11 The Show lets you play your favorite teams and players with decent visuals and stunning music and effects but ultimately strikes out due to the fact its last year's game with new models.

Diehard fans of futuristic survival war games laced with mutants and rogue bands of mercenaries and a cool twist on the economy will certainly find something to like, but only the most dedicated gamers will likely ever make their way to the end of the story let alone finish the game in its entirety.

The Suffering obliterates the rules of terror and even common decency to deliver a delightfully twisted horror game that will scare the fearless and chill the spine of the bravest soul. Play it…I dare you.

If you were to pick SkyDrift apart you would be hard pressed to find any individual gameplay elements that have not been seen before – but as an entire package SkyDrift is a surprisingly fun and unique take on the racing genre and worth every penny of its $15 cost.

A solid package and you would not go wrong in getting it if you are a racing fan, or if you are looking for something quick and enjoyable that doesn’t take all your time to really get into.

Transformers: War for Cybertron is not only the best Transformers game next-gen gamers can play, it is also one of the most fulfilling and challenging action-shooters I've played in years and a definite purchase, especially if you have any love of the Transformers franchise.

There is a whole lot going on in this game and New York is a massive playground full of possibilities for an enterprising young “family” man. Whether you have seen the movie or not, it’s easy to immerse yourself in the world of The Godfather, a world where intimidation and negotiation are your tickets to the top.

As a standalone game you will find at least 15-20 hours of quality gaming waiting for you between the missions and the challenges.

The game is not perfect but it’s a very good start. I recommend X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Uncaged Edition for the PC to anyone wanting to take a walk on the wild side.

Sadly, The Gunstringer is rather short, clocking in at around 5-8 hours depending on your skill and dedication. There are plenty of reasons to replay the game, chapter modifiers, optional commentary tracks, and a host of unlockable bonuses, so you won't stop playing even after you've won.

Resurrection of Evil doesn't fare as well on the Xbox as it did on the PC. The grabber is awkward and imprecise, which wouldn't be so bad if it weren't required for some battles. The 16-person multiplayer of the PC is now limited to four and the entire multiplayer package just isn't as robust as the PC.

More exceptional and more stylish than any other game in the series, Deception will provide an endless amount of entertainment.

For 800ms points ($10), Shuggy might seem like it is a tad overpriced based simply on the screenshots, but I encourage gamers to give the demo a trial run to see if the unique gameplay is as appealing to them as it i to me. Considering the game has over 100 levels and even supports local co-op play, $10 goes a long way.

There is still no in-car view, the wheel support is pathetic, and the system requirements to make this game look and play as well as the Xbox version are staggering.

A great "console" game, but I'm not convinced the PC is the proper system to be playing it on.

And even though you might have that sense of familiarity while playing the game, almost every aspect seems original, both in its presentation and its implementation.

The single-player game is a bit daunting, but the multiplayer modes more than compensate for any shortcomings and the presentation is second to none.

The more I play Nippon Ichi's unique line of TRPG’s, the more I like them. Makai Kingdom is no exception, and this time, they have the best game they've ever made on their hands, to boot. It takes beloved settings and ideas, meshes them with gameplay mechanics both old and new, adds a hearty dash of truly new content to the mix and still manages to be more accessible to a new gamer than their last game, "Phantom Brave" was.

Tibruon has finally created a game specifically for the Wii that doesn;t seem like a hastily prepared port.

The best western action-adventure game to date. With its go-anywhere, shoot/do-anything gameplay, it's like Grand Theft Auto Wild-Wild West style. The graphics are a big disappointment, but the amazing animation, presentation, and sound make up for its downfalls.